Member for New England Barnaby Joyce says the electorate will share in more than $4 million in bushfire recovery projects announced by the Australian and New South Wales governments.

Grants to 22 projects in the New England have been approved under Stream Two of the Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Fund (BCRRF).

“This is massive funding for the New England featuring many, wide-ranging projects proposed by local communities for local communities,” Mr Joyce said.

“The Australian Government is proud to throw its support behind locally-led solutions.

“This funding will support recovery that focuses on community wellbeing, connectedness, social recovery and future disaster resilience of people here in the New England.”

Stream Two comprises $29 million from the Australian and NSW governments, for locally led bushfire recovery projects, through the jointly funded Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

Australian Minister for Emergency Management, David Littleproud, thanked all those who took time to put in applications under BCRRF, and the many people in communities who will keep working hard to deliver the projects.

“The Australian and NSW governments are working hand in hand with councils and communities to deliver this funding in the hardest hit communities in NSW – just another way we can support local people as they drive their recovery,” Mr Littleproud said.

“It will take years, not months, for these communities to recover and the Australian Government will be with them every step of the way, delivering the support they so desperately need.”

Funding for BCRRF is just one of the initiatives supported by the Australian Government to help communities recover from the 2019-20 bushfires. To date, more than $1.9 billion in Australian Government support has been provided to help bushfire affected communities, including $1.3 billion spent so far from the National Bushfire Recovery Fund.

Stream 2 Projects in the New England include:

• $285,430 to Backtrack Works to engage at-risk young people in vocational training transferable to disaster recovery and grassroots community organisations to become leaders in disaster recovery training and response.
• $55,347 to Inverell Shire Council for the Tingha Disaster Preparedness project, to upgrade amenities and safety at Tingha Recreation Reserve to meet the needs of the community and provide shelter to vulnerable residents during natural disasters.
• $220,000 to New England Joint Organisation for the New England Economic Development Plan and Communication and Awareness Campaign, which will assist businesses and community members after the effects of bushfires, flood, drought and COVID-19.
• $69,150 to Regional Development Australia for resilient disaster affected business encouragement, education and inspiration, through the creation and promotion of 12 business case studies, including videos, a booklet, PR, digital media, follow-up social media campaigns and business consultation across the New England.
• $290,852 to MacKillop Family Services for the Good Grief project which will support kids and communities to recover and rebuild resilience through intensive community development to help vulnerable cohorts recover from the bushfires through direct program delivery and wrap around supports including in Glen Innes and Tenterfield Local Government Areas (LGAs).
• $290,500 to Disaster Relief Australia to increase the speed and breadth of disaster relief operations within NSW including in many parts of the New England.
• $90,806 to Northern Rivers Performing Arts for its ‘Into the Forest’ production and community workshop, exploring the forest and bush as natural environment and as important cultural heritage extending to the Tenterfield and Armidale communities.
• $90,000 to Ebor Public School P&C for the Covered Outdoor Learning Area Enclosure project, to allow the learning space to be utilised all year round.
• $300,000 to Royal Far West for the Rebuilding children’s resilience and wellbeing project, providing a year of weekly trauma focused therapy for up to 40 children identified as needing on-going clinical support for post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression linked to the 2019-20 bushfires in Glen Innes and Gwydir LGAs.
• $123,503 to Kyogle Family Support Services for the After Black Summer – Stories of Survival from Northern NSW project, to publish stories (in book and podcast form) of the individuals, communities’ and first responders in Kyogle and surrounding LGAs, including Tenterfield, on their experiences during and following, last year’s bushfires.
• $300,000 to the What Would Love Do Now organisation for its community program which specifically supports indigenous fire affected communities of Jubullum, Tabulum and surrounds to create community resilience, connection to place and reduce the impacts of future droughts and fire events.
• $81,689 to Inverell Shire Council to ensure the community of Ashford is able to respond and recover from future natural disasters and includes installation of a new community noticeboard, upgraded website and caravan park and a community event.
• $287,000 to the University of New England for the Scorched: Young Entrepreneurs Business Resilience project, to bring ideas, business and technology together to problem-solve challenges and practices to support bushfire resilience for business, industries and communities
• $152,750 to Tamworth Regional Landcare Association for the 2021 New England North West Landcare Adventure, an open community event focusing on resilience, recovery and leadership to be held at Tenterfield, centre of numerous fires in 2019 with Mr Shane Fitzsimmons as the keynote speaker.
• $88,000 to Urbenville and District Campdraft Association to replace the external ring fence as the current one is in no state to run an event and to replace the existing announcer’s box.
• $111,760 to the Scouts Association of Australia NSW Branch to assess which Scouts NSW properties, including those in New England, are eligible as Neighbourhood Safer Spaces, Community Fire Refuges, Recovery Centres or Assembly Areas in the event of a bushfire or a major disaster.
• $275,900 to corporate2community for the Building Resilient Business Communities project, to upskill resilience knowledge and capabilities of business chambers and business communities across the Northern LGA including Armidale and Tenterfield.
• $300,000 to Hunter Joint Organisation for the Simtables for Community Empowerment project, to engage communities in localised disaster risk reduction workshops and improve the community’s capacity to plan and respond to disasters and support vulnerable populations including in the Upper Hunter.
• $300,000 to Hunter Joint Organisation for the Transforming Resilience with the IP&R Framework project, to provide a pathway to embed Disaster Resilience into the local Government IP&R Framework so councils and communities in the Hunter JO region, including in the Upper Hunter, can adapt, survive and thrive.
• $33,000 to Upper Hunter Shire Council for the Upper Hunter 'Hall Crawl' project, which will offer residents a relaxing night of entertainment, community groups an opportunity to fundraise, entertainers a gig and the RFS an opportunity to promote the service, bushfire plans and becoming a volunteer in the community.
• $299,209 to Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Association for its Tourism Industry Capacity Building & Community Connectedness Program, to strengthen industry and community support through industry training, mentorship and improved community networks to aid recovery and build knowledge, skills and future resilience including in the Upper Hunter.
• $113,180 to FireThrive for the Bushfire Preparedness Quiz and Behaviour Change Tool project, which is developing an online quiz and behaviour change campaign to help bushfire-prone residents understand their strengths and weaknesses in bushfire preparedness. A personalised profile and notifications will help residents be the best bushfire evacuee they can be.

(ENDS)